Bettye Swann

Initially a member of vocal trio The Fawns, Bettye Swann launched her solo career in 1964 with the single 'Don't Wait Too Long' on the independent record label Money based in Los Angeles. This was followed in 1965 with 'The Man That Said No' and 'The Heartache Is Gone', but her breakthrough hit was in 1967 with 'Make Me Yours', which reached number one in the Billboard R&B Singles Chart and number 21 in the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. 'Make Me Yours' was also the title of her first LP, released in 1967. She released a further three singles in 1967 on the Money label, 'Fall in Love With Me', 'Don't Look Back' and 'I Think I'm Falling in Love'.

She then moved to Georgia and signed a contract with Capitol Records, releasing the single 'My Heart Is Closed for the Season' in 1968, followed by her second hit 'Don't Touch Me' in 1969. This reached number 14 in the Billboard R&B Singles Chart and number 38 in the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. She released two albums with Capitol in 1969, 'The Soul View Now' and 'Don't You Ever Get Tired of Hurting Me?'. This was followed by a move to Fame Records, with whom she released the single 'I'm Just Living a Lie' in 1971, before she moved again to Atlantic Records and released 'Victim of a Foolish Heart' in 1972. This reached the top 20 in the Billboard R&B Singles Chart.

Her next single release 'I'd Rather Go Blind' (1972) was better known for its B-side, 'Today I Started Loving You Again', originally a hit for Merle Haggard. She continued recording until the mid-1970s, with track 'The Boy Next Door' (1974), but failed to reach the same levels of chart success. Swann's last public performance was in 1980, after which she retired and began working as a teacher.